White Halloween
by Zerectica
Summary: The spooky holiday brings with it an unexpected surprise. One-Shot.


Sarah stepped up to the mirror in her bedroom as the skirt of the crimson, jeweled belly dancing outfit she was wearing sashayed with her movements. Spinning around in front of the full length mirror Sarah gaged her reflection. Her long, golden hair fell in gentle waves around her shoulders and a pair of matching slippers adorned her feet.

She was still assessing her reflection in the mirror when Chuck entered moments later. Seeing his wife wearing the belly dancer costume she once wore for the purpose of seducing him was having the same effect on him now. He was left speechless and could do nothing but gaze adoringly at her as she twirled.

Sarah finally noticed Chuck when he at last found his voice and uttered a very approving, "Wow!"

Immediately halting Sarah turned to face Chuck and began to approach him. As she walked her skirt danced across the floor, leaving her husband breathless. Before she could speak Chuck cupped his hand around her cheek and drew her toward him for a kiss.

Just as the kiss was heating up someone else strode into the room unbeknownst to either of them. The intruder's presence didn't go unnoticed for very long however because mere moments after padding into the room a small voice penetrated their ears and caught their complete attention. "Pretty Mommy!"

Chuck and Sarah hastily broke their kiss and turned to their three year old daughter with a slight blush coloring their cheeks. Sarina, her name derived from both her mother and godmother Carina, stood just inside the doorway smiling brightly. With strawberry blonde hair and deep blue eyes she reflected aspects of both her namesakes and was devastatingly adorable.

"Come here little princess," Chuck said calling his daughter.

Princess was quite an accurate descriptor for the little girl. She was definitely Chuck's little princess and had him wrapped around her little finger. Her name, like her mother's also meant princess. And in this moment she also happened to be dressed as a princess. Wearing a long sleeved purple gown, and sparkly purple leggings she looked every bit the part, however her plastic tiara was sitting far from straight atop her little head.

Chuck adjusted the plastic silver crown so that it was once again resting properly on her head and not trying to cling to her hair for dear life to keep from falling off. Once he was finished Chuck kissed the three-year-old's cheek and she ran back out of the room giggling.

"Do I really have to wear this?" Sarah asked after her daughter had left.

"Yes you do," Chuck answered with amusement. "You heard Sarina."

"I know. I just wish she hadn't discovered this outfit in my closet then insisted I wear it tonight," Sarah replied, resigning herself to her fate.

"Sarina is right you know. You do look beautiful."

"Just you wait," Sarah continued. "Next year you're going to be stuck wearing a costume picked out by a preschooler."

Chuck leaned in for another kiss and they were interrupted yet again by someone toddling into the room. This time it was Sarina's year old baby brother Bryce, who was named after a friend and partner who had died an unknown hero. When they learned their second child was a boy Chuck and Sarah decided the name was a nice way to honor someone who had meant a great deal to both of them.

Little Bryce tried to run to his parents on wobbly legs, but took a tumble before he made it halfway, landing on his bottom. Watching the toddler try to run and taking a little tumble was always cute, but it was almost unbearably cute when that toddler was dressed in a mini suit and tie.

Chuck scooped the toddler who had already gotten back to his feet into his arms and announced that he was going to finish getting the child ready and change his diaper. Sarah meanwhile added the final touch to her costume. Picking the sheer red veil covered with plastic beaded jewels off the bed she draped it over her shoulders. Sarah assessed her reflection now that she had added the veil and still wasn't really pleased with the costume her daughter had conned her into wearing.

Sarah was no longer in the bedroom when Chuck finished tending to Bryce. While searching for his girls Chuck carried Bryce, who was now wearing a peach toboggan to cover the little bit of hair he had and to resemble flesh, as well as keep his little ears warm. He soon located his beautiful girls in the living room collecting the treat pails. There he also found the stroller he needed for Bryce. He settled his son into his stroller to which he had attached large cardboard wheels with an X in the center, completing his costume.

Chuck's costume consisted of a pair of khaki pants, a dark red button up shirt, a pair of suspenders and a brown coat. Attached to his hip was also a toy gun. For shoes he had a pair of boots.

"You know everyone is going to think that you're a cowboy. No one is going to get your costume," Sarah said as they prepared to go out the door.

Chuck didn't pay any attention to Sarah's words and the Bartowski family headed out to begin their night of family treat-or-treating. Each parent taking the charge of one of their young children. Chuck pushed Bryce along in his stroller and Sarah held Sarina's little hand.

Burbank, along with most of California had been experiencing a cold snap over the past few weeks and tonight was by far the coldest night yet. Sarah wrapped the sheer veil more tightly around herself in a futile attempt to get warm. She did appreciate the small measure of protection it provided her against the bitter cold compared to what it would be if she didn't have it, but now even more she wished she had been able to wear a different costume.

As they walked Chuck suddenly turned to Sarah and said, "Adding that veil you could almost be Inara with that costume."

"If I really had an Inara costume I wouldn't be quite so cold," Sarah replied practically shivering.

Soon the four costumed Bartowskis reached the door of the first house. The doorbell was a bit too high for Sarina to reach yet, so Sarah pushed the button for her. When the woman who lived in the home answered her door the preschooler said the magic words which would earn her candy. "Trick or treat!"

Bryce who only had a vocabulary of a handful of words tried to mimic his big sister's words and uttered a series of sounds.

The woman fawned over the adorability of the two tiny trick-or-treaters and dropped two candies a piece into each of their pails.

As they made their way back to the sidewalk with their first prizes of the night a few microscopic white specs dotted the sky. Those white specs went unnoticed however and the family continued on to the next house.

A few houses and several handfuls of candy later the winds in the already frosty air kicked up and the microscopic dots grew both in size and number. The white dots were no longer possible to ignore. It was snowing. In California. On Halloween!

Sarina who had never seen the white stuff falling from the sky pointed up to it and asked, "Mommy what's that?"

"That's snow baby." Turning to her husband Sarah said, "Chuck can you believe that it's actually snowing in Burbank!"

"No, it's amazing! I never thought I would see snow in California! Sarina, Bryce, never forget that you saw snow in California in your lifetime."

Chuck knew his statement was ridiculous. Bryce was only a year old. He would never remember this. Even Sarina's ability to remember this event at only three years old was in question. Nevertheless he said the words any way. He wanted them to remember this as long as they could, whether it be a few weeks, months, years or forever.

To help them remember or at least give them proof of what they witnessed tonight Chuck pulled Bryce out of his stroller and had him stand next to his sister and smile while he took a picture. After snapping a few pics, including one with the whole family Chuck put his son back into the stroller.

Candy had become a secondary concern. The snow was the big deal now. Children and grownups alike shouted with excitement over the incredibly, extremely rare event. For most of the kids and some of the adults it was the first time they had ever seen snow in person. Though Chuck and Sarah had witnessed snow various times through their travels as spies, it was no less exciting to see the snow at home.

Everyone danced across the sidewalks and in yards as they slowly turned white under the falling snowflakes. Some of that dancing and play led trick-or-treaters to the door of a home in search of candy. Most of the time knocking or ringing the doorbell wasn't necessary as the majority of people had either come out onto their porches or stood at the window watching the once-in-a-lifetime snow.

Following a short stint of fun Chuck and Sarah helped their children fill their buckets and finish their trick or treating as quickly as they could so that they could hopefully make it back home before the surprise snowstorm came to an end. Then they could play in the snow, make snow angels, maybe a snowman and Sarah could change into more appropriate clothing to avoid catching hypothermia.

When Chuck and Sarah had deemed that their children had collected enough candy to last they turned around and began to journey home. Once they arrived home Chuck and Sarah set the pails of candy on the table and helped their children get changed out of their costumes and bundled them up in the warmest outdoor clothing they had. Chuck and Sarah also removed their costumes and changed into the closest thing they had which was suitable for snowy weather.

Now that everyone was at least somewhat appropriately attired they headed back outside to enjoy the snow. If the kids stayed up a little past their bedtimes tonight it would be alright. They would never have an experience like this again and they could sleep late in the morning. Tonight they were just going to have fun and enjoy their unexpectedly white Halloween.

Sarina squealed with delight as she ran around the yard trying to catch a flake of snow on her tongue. Bryce, always watching his older sister tried to copy her actions. He succeeded in mimicking her for a short time before he tumbled bottom first to the ground.

"Cold!" the toddler proclaimed as he scrambled to get back on his feet.

Sarina, curious about her brother's statement about the snow decided to see for herself and put her hands down in the snow and tried to grasp some in her fist. After getting a tiny amount on the palm of her hand she giggled and threw it away.

Chuck and Sarah laughed at their children's antics then asked them if they would like to learn how to make angels in the snow and a snowman, a very, very small snowman. There was just under half-an-inch of snow on the ground and it was already tapering off, so the results of their snow activities would be limited, but they could still have fun doing them.

The snow stopped completely a short time later and the snowfall total remained just slightly below half-an-inch. It wasn't a lot of snow, but it was probably the most any of them would ever see in California in their lifetimes. All of the pictures taken tonight would be a record of the historic snow and the fun they had on this night.

After a few more minutes Chuck and Sarah took their kids back into the house and got them ready for bed. Each had a warm bath and was snuggly tucked in bed with a story and goodnight kisses.

In their own bedroom, Sarah dressed in sleepwear nearly as alluring as her belly dance outfit crawled into bed, looked into Chuck's eyes and said, "You may need to keep me warm tonight."

The tone in her voice caused his own body temperature to rise. "I don't think that will be a problem. I may even give you that third baby we've been talking about," Chuck replied as he pulled her body against his and began to kiss her, knowing that this time no one would interrupt them.

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><p><em><strong>AN: Happy Halloween! This little piece was inspired by a white Halloween I experienced. I hope you enjoyed this little bit of inspiration.**_

_**Sarah & Sarina's costumes were clearly started, but who figured out who Chuck and baby Bryce were dressed as?**_


End file.
